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Centennial Park (Nashville)
Encyclopedia
Centennial Park is a large urban
park
located approximately two miles (three km) west of downtown
Nashville, Tennessee
, across West End Avenue (U.S. Highway 70S) from the campus
of Vanderbilt University
and adjacent to the headquarters campus of the Hospital Corporation of America
.
The 132 acre (0.53418552 km²) park was originally farmland that had belonged to Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill. She was the first teacher in the state and sister of General James Robertson (commonly referred to as the "Father of Middle Tennessee"). She and her family came from Wake County, North Carolina
to Fort Nashborough (now Nashville) in the Donelson Flotilla, led by Andrew Jackson's wife Rachel's father, John Donelson. They stopped for the winter in 1776 when the river iced over and, while the men were out hunting, Indians attacked Fort Wautaga. Anne, although wounded, led the women in a bucket brigade of boiling wash water to fend off Dragging Canoe and other Chickamauguan Indians attempting to set fire to the fort, ultimately driving off the Indians and saving the fort and families. For her valiance, she was given a land grant for the land which was turned into the state fairgrounds after the Civil War
. From 1884 to 1895, the site served as a racetrack and was known as West Side Park. In 1897, it was the site of the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
and was renamed Centennial Park. After the exposition ended, most of the building and exhibits (with the exception of a full-scale model of the Athenian Parthenon
) were dismantled, leaving in its place a landscaped open area with a small artificial lake
(named "Lake Watauga" after the region in western North Carolina
where many of Nashville's early settlers moved from), sunken garden
s, and a bandshell. This area became an important recreation site for white Nashvillians; "Jim Crow
" laws forbade its use by African Americans until the 1960s, which resulted in disagreements leading to the closure of the park's swimming pool
to prevent it from integrated. Buildings associated with the pool ultimately reopened as an art
s center.
The Parthenon replica
, built largely out of plaster as a temporary exhibit building (the Nashville pavilion of the Centennial Exposition) began to fall into disrepair and was proposed for demolition on several occasions, but public sentiment in favor of this symbol of Nashville as the "Athens of the South" precluded this. Finally, in the 1920s it was agreed to replace the temporary plaster building with a permanent, concrete
and steel
replacement which remains today and has been refurbished on several occasions. It functions today primarily as an art gallery
. It contains a statue of Pallas Athena
, said to be the largest indoor sculpture in the Western world
, which was commissioned by the city and realized by the renowned Nashville sculptor
Alan LeQuire
. Owing to the completeness and the multiple color surface painting (called polychrome
), this replica is arguably closer to what the Athenians saw than are the current ruins in Athens
.
,,
From 1954 to 1967, the Parthenon was the backdrop for an enormous nativity scene
sponsored by the now-defunct Harveys
department store. The scene was approximately 280 feet (85.3 m) long, 75 feet (22.9 m) deep and was flooded with colorful lights. However, the Italian
firm from which the Harvey family had purchased it went out of business soon afterwards. Hence, no authorized repairs, technical support, or even reliable guides to proper maintenance of the fixtures were available. By 1968, the fixtures were in such serious disrepair the nativity could not be exhibited. Financial responsibility became too much for Harvey’s and the city of Nashville and the scene was sold to a Cincinnati shopping center. According to the Nashville Banner
, the nativity scene was shown only two Christmas seasons in Cincinnati before it collapsed and was discarded.
Centennial Park is the site of the climactic scene in Robert Altman
's Nashville, a picture beloved of many film critics. The park's bandshell is also the site of the annual "Shakespeare in the Park" presented by the Nashville Shakespeare Festival
from late August to early September.
There were many mature shade trees in the park until the 1998 Nashville tornado outbreak; most of them were damaged or destroyed in the storm. The park was also the site of the storm's sole fatality, a Vanderbilt ROTC
cadet. Since then, the park and other areas of outdoor gathering in the Nashville area have been equipped with storm-warning sirens.
On November 11, 2005, Centennial Park became Nashville's first wireless internet park by offering free Wi-Fi
internet access to park patrons.
The park also contains a recreation center and is the home of the administrative offices of the city's Department of Parks and Recreation
; however, these are currently in the process of moving to the East Bank of the Cumberland River
adjacent to LP Field
in the offices of the former Nashville Bridge Company.
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
located approximately two miles (three km) west of downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, across West End Avenue (U.S. Highway 70S) from the campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
of Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
and adjacent to the headquarters campus of the Hospital Corporation of America
Hospital Corporation of America
Hospital Corporation of America is the largest private operator of health care facilities in the world, It is based in Nashville, Tennessee and is widely considered to be the single largest factor in making that city a hotspot for healthcare enterprise.-History:The founders of HCA include Jack C....
.
The 132 acre (0.53418552 km²) park was originally farmland that had belonged to Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill. She was the first teacher in the state and sister of General James Robertson (commonly referred to as the "Father of Middle Tennessee"). She and her family came from Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...
to Fort Nashborough (now Nashville) in the Donelson Flotilla, led by Andrew Jackson's wife Rachel's father, John Donelson. They stopped for the winter in 1776 when the river iced over and, while the men were out hunting, Indians attacked Fort Wautaga. Anne, although wounded, led the women in a bucket brigade of boiling wash water to fend off Dragging Canoe and other Chickamauguan Indians attempting to set fire to the fort, ultimately driving off the Indians and saving the fort and families. For her valiance, she was given a land grant for the land which was turned into the state fairgrounds after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. From 1884 to 1895, the site served as a racetrack and was known as West Side Park. In 1897, it was the site of the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
The Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition was an exposition staged between May 1 and October 31 of 1897 in Nashville. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of Tennessee's entry into the union in 1796, although it was a year late....
and was renamed Centennial Park. After the exposition ended, most of the building and exhibits (with the exception of a full-scale model of the Athenian Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
) were dismantled, leaving in its place a landscaped open area with a small artificial lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
(named "Lake Watauga" after the region in western North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
where many of Nashville's early settlers moved from), sunken garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s, and a bandshell. This area became an important recreation site for white Nashvillians; "Jim Crow
Jim Crow laws
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans...
" laws forbade its use by African Americans until the 1960s, which resulted in disagreements leading to the closure of the park's swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
to prevent it from integrated. Buildings associated with the pool ultimately reopened as an art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
s center.
The Parthenon replica
Parthenon (Nashville)
The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. It was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.-Early history:...
, built largely out of plaster as a temporary exhibit building (the Nashville pavilion of the Centennial Exposition) began to fall into disrepair and was proposed for demolition on several occasions, but public sentiment in favor of this symbol of Nashville as the "Athens of the South" precluded this. Finally, in the 1920s it was agreed to replace the temporary plaster building with a permanent, concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
replacement which remains today and has been refurbished on several occasions. It functions today primarily as an art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
. It contains a statue of Pallas Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, said to be the largest indoor sculpture in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
, which was commissioned by the city and realized by the renowned Nashville sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
Alan LeQuire
Alan LeQuire
Alan LeQuire is an American sculptor from Nashville, Tennessee. Many of his sculptures are installed in the city.LeQuire's father, Virgil, was a physician and researcher on the faculty of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. His mother, Louise, was a painter, art teacher, and writer. The...
. Owing to the completeness and the multiple color surface painting (called polychrome
Polychrome
Polychrome is one of the terms used to describe the use of multiple colors in one entity. It has also been defined as "The practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." Polychromatic light is composed of a number of different wavelengths...
), this replica is arguably closer to what the Athenians saw than are the current ruins in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
,,
From 1954 to 1967, the Parthenon was the backdrop for an enormous nativity scene
Nativity scene
A nativity scene, manger scene, krippe, crèche, or crib, is a depiction of the birth of Jesus as described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke...
sponsored by the now-defunct Harveys
Harveys (department store)
Harveys was a department store chain best known for its original store in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.The original Harveys department store was opened by Fred Harvey in 1942 at the corner of 6th Avenue North and Church Street. The site was the former home of a post-Reconstruction Nashville...
department store. The scene was approximately 280 feet (85.3 m) long, 75 feet (22.9 m) deep and was flooded with colorful lights. However, the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
firm from which the Harvey family had purchased it went out of business soon afterwards. Hence, no authorized repairs, technical support, or even reliable guides to proper maintenance of the fixtures were available. By 1968, the fixtures were in such serious disrepair the nativity could not be exhibited. Financial responsibility became too much for Harvey’s and the city of Nashville and the scene was sold to a Cincinnati shopping center. According to the Nashville Banner
Nashville Banner
The Nashville Banner is a defunct daily newspaper of Nashville, Tennessee, United States, which published from April 10, 1876 until February 20, 1998...
, the nativity scene was shown only two Christmas seasons in Cincinnati before it collapsed and was discarded.
Centennial Park is the site of the climactic scene in Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's Nashville, a picture beloved of many film critics. The park's bandshell is also the site of the annual "Shakespeare in the Park" presented by the Nashville Shakespeare Festival
Nashville Shakespeare Festival
The mission of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival is to educate and entertain the Mid-South community through professional Shakespearean experiences.- History :...
from late August to early September.
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
cadet. Since then, the park and other areas of outdoor gathering in the Nashville area have been equipped with storm-warning sirens.
On November 11, 2005, Centennial Park became Nashville's first wireless internet park by offering free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
internet access to park patrons.
The park also contains a recreation center and is the home of the administrative offices of the city's Department of Parks and Recreation
Department of Parks and Recreation
The Department of Parks and Recreation , also known as Board of Parks and Recreation or Park Board, is a local government agency or department which oversees parks and recreational public works...
; however, these are currently in the process of moving to the East Bank of the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
adjacent to LP Field
LP Field
LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
in the offices of the former Nashville Bridge Company.